On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Malawi on the occasion of your forty-sixth anniversary of independence this July 6. The ties between our countries are strong and supported by a robust exchange of people and ideas. Each year, many Malawian students journey to the United States and an active contingent of Peace Corps volunteers serve throughout Malawi.

The United States and Malawi have a long history of working together to promote health and economic development, and we look forward to deepening and strengthening our bilateral relationship in the coming years. We will also continue working with President Mutharika as the current chair of the African Union to combat hunger and food insecurity, promote regional security and stability, and advance good governance and human rights throughout Africa.

On this anniversary, I reaffirm our faith in the promise of Malawi, and I wish all Malawian people a happy independence celebration and a prosperous future.